The short answer: say mah-JONG, stress on the second syllable — “mah” like the start of mama, “jong” rhyming with song. Chinese is 麻将 (má jiàng). Don’t stress the first syllable, and don’t say it the French way. mah-JONG is standard.
You’ve played mahjong for years and still aren’t sure you’re saying it right. Good news: it’s two simple syllables, and only one of them matters. Here’s the stress and the sounds.
How do you break mahjong into syllables?
Two syllables, and the stress sits on the second one: mah-JONG. Here’s each part:
- mah: like “ma” in mama — flat and relaxed
- JONG: rhymes with “song” — short and stressed
- Together: mah-JONG, rising at the end
- IPA: /ˌmɑːˈdʒɒŋ/
What are the most common mispronunciations?
The usual mistakes come from stress and from the letter g:
- MAH-jong — stress on the wrong syllable
- mah-jon-GAY — a French-style reading; it’s not a French word
- mah-jang — squashed vowel in the second syllable
- mah-JONG-guh — an extra syllable that isn’t there
Sound right now? Learn what you’re saying with our what is mahjong guide, or read the full rules in our how to play mahjong walkthrough. Short on time? Just play turtle mahjong and say the name all day.
Related Questions
How do you say mahjong in Chinese?
In Mandarin it’s 麻将, má jiàng — first syllable rising, second falling. In Cantonese the game is 麻雀, romanized maa4 zoek3, and English borrowed that sound when the game reached the West in the 1920s.
Is it mah-JONG or MAH-jong?
mah-JONG, with the stress on the second syllable, is the standard pronunciation in English. MAH-jong flips the stress and sounds stilted. Say it like you’re answering a friend: mah-JONG, and you’re set.
Why did English keep the second-syllable stress?
Because the word came from Cantonese, where the second syllable carries more weight. English simply kept that rhythm, and dictionaries have recorded mah-JONG for decades. It’s not an American invention.